INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — Saniya Jackson scored 22 points and Butler capitalized on a decisive advantage at the free-throw line to hold off a late DePaul rally for a 73-67 victory in a Big East Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Bulldogs, who led by as many as 14 points in the second half, saw their lead whittled to two in the final minute before securing the win at the charity stripe. Butler finished 25 of 29 from the line, while DePaul attempted only eight free throws, making four.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final 30 seconds with Butler clinging to a 67-65 lead. DePaul’s Alayna West converted an offensive rebound into a layup and was fouled with 28 seconds remaining. She completed the three-point play to tie the score at 67, sending a jolt through the visiting bench.

The response from Butler was immediate and composed. On the ensuing inbound play, the Bulldogs quickly got the ball to Lily Zeinstra, who was fouled on a drive with 26 seconds left. Zeinstra, who finished with 13 points, sank both free throws to restore a two-point lead. After a DePaul timeout, the Blue Demons’ Ally Timm connected on a clutch 3-pointer from the wing, putting DePaul ahead 70-69 with 25 seconds on the clock and capping a 10-2 run.

Butler called its own timeout and advanced the ball. The inbounds pass went to Kennedy Langham, who was fouled by Devin Hagemann with 23 seconds remaining. Langham, who scored 16 points, missed the first free throw but calmly made the second to tie the game at 70. DePaul’s ensuing possession ended in a rushed, contested 3-point attempt by West that missed, and a subsequent scramble led to a technical foul against the DePaul bench for calling an excessive timeout it did not have.

Zeinstra stepped to the line and made both technical free throws with 12 seconds left. Langham was then fouled again and split a pair, making it a three-point game. DePaul’s last chance to tie was a well-defended 3-point attempt by Timm that fell short, and Jackson secured the defensive rebound before being fouled. She made two final free throws with two seconds left to seal the outcome.

Butler improved to 9-11 overall and evened its Big East record at 3-3. DePaul fell to 4-17 and 1-5 in conference play.

The game was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. While DePaul took 18 more field goal attempts than Butler and made five more 3-pointers, the Bulldogs’ relentless attacking style drew fouls and provided a steady stream of points from the line. Butler’s 25 made free throws accounted for over 34% of its total scoring. Jackson, a 6-foot guard from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the primary catalyst, consistently driving into the paint. She added four assists and played 36 minutes.

DePaul was led by balanced scoring, with Ally Timm and Michelle Ojo each contributing 12 points, while Alayna West added 11 and Kate Novik had 10. The Blue Demons struggled with ball movement, registering only five assists against nine turnovers, and were outscored 14-8 in points off turnovers despite forcing 14 Butler miscues.

Butler established control early, using a 12-2 run to close the first quarter with a 20-12 lead. The Bulldogs maintained a comfortable margin for most of the contest, leading 36-27 at halftime and 52-43 after three quarters. A Mallory Miller 3-pointer early in the fourth gave Butler its largest lead at 51-41, setting the stage for DePaul’s frantic, but ultimately insufficient, comeback attempt.

Miller finished with nine points and four assists for Butler. DePaul’s Meg Newman, playing in her hometown of Indianapolis, had eight points and five assists.

The announced attendance was 845. DePaul returns home to face Creighton on Sunday. Butler will host Marquette, also on Sunday.